Automatic pin setter for bowling alleys



Oct. 15, 1935. A. R. BENTZ AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS I Filed July 17, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1935. v A. R. BENTZ 2,017,143

" AUTOMATIC 'PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed Jul 17, 1953 1a Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. ll!

MENTOR BY v MN ATTORN YQ f Oct. 15, 1935.

A. R. BENTZ AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 17, 19:53 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 MENTOR Wfiflg ATTORNEYS Oct; 15, 1935. A. R; BENTZ I 2,017,143

' I AUTOMATIC; PIN SETTER FQR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 17, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. IX

FIG. VIII ATTORNEYS 0t;15,19:'.5. A.R.BENTZ v 2,017,143

AUTOMATI C PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 17, 1935 I 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. XI-

ATTORNEYS Get. 15, 1935.

FIG. XHI

FIG. XH

FIG. XIV

A. R. BENTZ AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BQWLING ALLEYS Filed July 17, 1.933

13 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS.

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Oct.

A.. R. BENT:

I Filed July 17, 1933 AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS '15 Sheets-Sheet '7 ATTORNEYS Oct. 15,1935.

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A R. BENTZ AUTOMATI C PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 17, 1953 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 I F16. xvm

INVENTOR M PM ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1935. A. R. BENTZ AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER F 'OH BOWLING ALLEYS "Filed July 17, 1955 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 um mm NE W ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1935. A. R. BENTZ AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 17, 1953 1S Sheets-Sheet 10 BY (OWN/Yu (QM/AL ATTORNEYS FIG XXI A. 'R. BENTZ AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING-ALLEYS Filed July 17, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 IINVENTOR 1 5y- ATTORNEYS Oct. 15, 1935. A. R. BENTZ 2,017,143

AUTOMATIC PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed July 1'7, 1933 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 Q P (Q Fle XXIII 0 Ma;

fTr I I swEEPETwTABLE MOTOR FULL-SET FIG. xxw

ATTORNEYS I v 4 M2 INVENTOR fi 5" Oct. 15, 1935. A. R. BENTZ AUTOMATI PIN SETTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS x x E ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITE\ sTArss aurom'rro rm SETTER FOR BOWLIN ALLEYS Albert lit. Bentz, Toledo, Ohimassignor to Singer v I Manufacturing Company, Toledo, Ohio, a cor-- poration of Ohio Application .lulyl'i, 1933, Serial No. 680,676

it Claims.

This invention relates to a pin setter for bowling alleys which may be controlled, as desired, from the front end of the alley to sweep the alley clean, to reset the the balls.

The invention, in its preferred form, comprises a sweeper of improved construction and means for actuating the same, a set of distributor tubes which are adapted to hold three sets of pins, a table adapted to receive the first set or any selected portion thereof, and to set the same while the other pins are held in reserve in the distributor tubes, means in the pit for separating the pins from the balls and delivering the pins to the various distributor tubes while the balls are returnedto the front end of the alley, means to indicate whether each individual pin is properly set, and a control board provided with push buttons controlling these different instrumentalities.

The above and other features of the invention will be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. Tie a side elevation of the rear end of.

the alley, together with the pin elevator and the index tubes which receive the pins therefrom;

Fig. II is a front elevation of the pit and the pin elevator;

Fig. III is a plan view of the rear end of the alley and the ball elevator;

Fig. IV is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. III;

Fig; V is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 111;

Fig. V1 is an enlarged side elevation of the ball elevator;

Fig. VII is a plan view of the ball-elevator;

Fig. VIII is a side elevation of the upper portion of the pin elevator and the means .for transferring the pins to the index tubes;

Fig. IX is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. VIII; I

Flg. X is a side'elevation of one ofv the index tubes and the means for delivering the pirfthereto, the elevator being shown in a different position than is shown in Fig. VIII;

Fig. xr is'a front elevation of an index tube and the means for delivering a pin thereto;

Figs; XII, XIII and XIV illustrate in front eleivation successive positions of a distributor tube and the meansfor delivering a pin from an index tube thereto;

Fig. XV is a side elevation of the distributor 1 tubes and the rack or table for setting the pins;

Fig. XVI is a bottom plan view of the rack or table for setting the pins;

pins, and to return.

Fig. XVII is a section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. XVI;

Fig. XVIII is a view similar to Fig. XVII, but showing the parts in a difierent position;

Fig. XIX is a side elevation of'the sweeper and table and the mechanism for operating the same;

Fig. 2D! is a detail view of the catch for-holding the sweeper;

Fig. )QCI is a plan view of the sweeper and table operating mechanism; 1

Fig. XXII is a diagram of the wiring forcontrolling the various instrumentalities; I I

Fig. XXIII is a front elevation of the control board; v r

Fig. XXIV is a vertical section of ohe of the 1 spots and'illustrates in connection therewith the means for indicating when the pin is properly spotted.

Fig. m is a front elevation of the gearing for driving the various instrumentalities,

As illustrated in the drawingsgthe invention 2 is associated with the rear end of a bowling alley I i, having side rails 2, and a pit 3 provided at its rear side with a bumper 4. Within the pit 8 and spaced above the bottom thereof is a camel back 5 with its edges far enough from the sides of the 2 pit to allow the pins to pass downwardly into. the bottom of the pit. The balls 6, however, as they pass into the pit, roll along the edges of the camel back and through one of the openings 1 in the 3 bumper. Tracks 8 in rear of the bumper guide I a the balls through an opening 9 into the bottom of an elevator well Hi. In the bottom of the'elevator well It, there is an annular seat II on which each successive ball rests until it is lifted by-the 3 ball elevator.

The ball elevator comprises a sprocket chain It, which travels about sprockets on the shafts II and I5, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. VI. Vanes i6 project laterally from the chain I3 andare 4 supported in such position byarms' H. The side of the elevator well I0 is provided with a slot I! through which the vanes I6 pass during their upward travel. Whenever aball comes to rest upon the seat II, the next vane I6 carries it up- 4 wardly within the well ill. The vane is disposed with a lateral slope which guides the ball away from the entrance opening 9 and, as the ball reaches the upper end of thewell, delivers it laterally into a race wayl8 along which the ball rolls to the front end of the alley.

I The pin conveyor or elevator comprises a succession of cups l9, each 01' which is secured to the end of an arm 20 pivotally supported upon a pin 2 l, which transversely connects apair of sprocket 5 chains 22. Each chain 22 travels about an upper sprocket 23, which is secured to a shaft 24, thence downwardly about an idler 25, thence forwardly about an idler 25, thence rearwardly about a jected position while it carries the pin, and to allow the pinto be released as it reaches the upper end of the elevator, the arm 25 extends inwardly beyond its pivot and is provided with a cross head 33 carrying rollers 34 and 35, which are guided between cam tracks 55 and 31. The

- track 31 is provided with an oilcset 35 at the upper end of the elevator, as shown in Figs. VIII and x,

so that when the pin reaches this point, the cup 9 is permitted to tilt downwardly to allow the pin 39 to slide therefrom. At the same time, the

neck of the pin is engaged by the curved end 45 of an arm 4|, whichis secured to the upper side of a hopper 42. There are two arms 4|, one at each side of thehopper to insure contact with the pin whether the head of the pin projects to the right or to the left from the cup i9. As the pin is thus guided into the hopper 42, its neck engages a notch 43 at the upper end of the hopper and causes the pin to be guided butt first into the' hopper.

As shown in Figs. x and'xI, a. tongue 44 is secured to a pin- 45 mounted at the side of the hopper 42and normally projects into the hopper far enough to engage the thickest portion of the pin and detain it until the tongue is retracted.

The pin 45 is pivotally mounted, and an arm .45

secured thereto is yieldingly held by a spring 41 in position to retain the pin 39 within the hopper. An arm 49 projects downwardly from the tongue 44 and is adapted to be engaged by a trip, as hereinafter described, at the proper time to release the pin from the hopper.

A series of index tubes- 55 are mounted upon a revolving support 5| which is driven from the shaft 24, so that they are carried successively beneath the hopper 42. Each index tube carries a cam 52, as shown in Figs. X and XI, which enages a roller 53 on the lower end of the arm 49 to retract the tongue 44 and release any pin which may be held within the, hopper 4'2.

Each index tube 55 also has a retaining tongue 54 mounted on the side thereof and normally projecting inwardly to a position to engage the pin as it is delivered to the index tube. Each tongue 54 is secured to a pivot pin 55 from which a flnger 55 hangs downwardly. A set of ten distributor tubes 51 are arranged beneath the path of the index tubes in proper position to distribute the pins to therack or table by which theyare to be set. Each distributor tube 51 is of 'suflicient length to hold three pins. otally mounted at 55 on the tube 51 and is normally in the position shown in Fig. XII, so that it .wi1l engage a roller 55 on the end of the arm 55 and release a pin 35 from the first index tube 55 which contains one.

A solencid5iis carried by each tube 51 in such a position as to pull, the trip arm' 55 downwardly out of the path of the roller 50 whenever the solenoid is energized. Current is supplied to the solenoid 5| through a switch 52, which is controlled by a spring arm 55 within the tube 51.

A trip arm 55 is pivwhenever the tube is full, the uppermost pin engages the spring arm 53 to close the switch 52, thus energizing the solenoid, so that the trip arm is will be held in inoperative positionand the index tube will pass by without releasing any pin 5 which may be contained therein.

In order to insure an adequate supply of pins to all of the distributor tubes at all times, it is desirable to supply the machine with several more pins than are usually required. with sucha surplus supply, it may of course happen that at some time, when all of the distributor tubes 51 are full, an index tube containing a surplus pin may pass over them. In order to prevent such surplus pin from being carried beneath the 15 pin being delivered from the hopper, a false tube 5.1 is arranged to receive any pin which is carried by an index tube past the ten distributor I tubes, and to return it to the pit. This positively 2o prevents the surplus'pins from interfering with the hopper delivery.

. The pinsin each distributor tube 51 are normally retained therein by a spring held finger 53" which is adapted to be retracted to release the 25 pin by means of a solenoid 53 located a jacent the lower end of the tube, whenever the respective solenoid is energized. These solenoids are wired so that they may be energized separately or all energized simultaneously. 50

The pins are set up by a rack or table 54 to which they are delivered from the distributor-1 tubes 51. This rack or table is supported by a frame 55 which has racks 55 on the side rails thereof, these racks being in engagementwith 35 gears 51. Each gear 51 is secured to a shaft- 55- on which is secured a bevel gear 55. The gear 59 is in mesh with a bevel' gear 15 secured to a shaft 1|, the latter being adapted to be driven in one" direction to lower the table and in the 40 other direction to raise the same.

For controllingthe movement of the shaft 1!, a clutch member 12 is splined thereon and is adapted to be shifted into engagement with a' direction to lower the table. An opposed clutch -member 14 is splined on'the shaft 1| and is adapted to be ,moved into engagement with a constantly rotating bevel gear 15 to raise the table. The bevel gears 13 and 15 are driven 50' from opposite sides of a bevel gear 11 which is secured to one end of-a transverse shaft 15. A bevel gear 15 is secured to the opposite end of the shaft 15 and is driven by a bevel gear 55 secured to the lower'end of a shaft 5|. A bevel 55 gear 52 secured to the upper end of shaft 5| is driven by a bevel gear 53 secured to a drive shaft 54, which is operatively connected to the motor 25.

The table54 has a set of leaves 55 which are respectively opposed to a set of leaves 55, each 60 pairof leaves and 55 being adapted to support and set one row of pins. The pins, as they are released from the distributor tubes, are guided by the respective, deflectors 51 into proper position between the leaves 'so that when they are 55.

released from the latter they will be properly spotted. Each pin, as it lodges against the table,

'' supports the pin above it until. the latter is enmost link 55 is connected to one end of a lever 55,

which is intermediately pivoted at 5|, and the rearmost link 89 is connected to the-opposite end 7 2,017,148 of the lever. A vertically yieldable stud 92 ex-- tends downwardly from the table and normally engages the lever 90, as shown in Figs. XVI and XVII, to hold the leaves 85 and 86 in pin supporting position. As the table is lowered, however, to pin setting position, the stud 92 engages an abutment 93 and is moved upwardly, releasing the lever 90 and permitting it to move forwardly to a position shown in Fig. XVIII, which is sufiicient to release the pins. This movement is facilitated by springs -Il3 connecting the leaves. As the table is again raised, a bar 94 projects through a slot 95 in the table and its inclined surface .96 engages the lever 90, returning it to its former position with the leaves 05 and 86 closed.

A spring 91 on the stud 92 returns the stud to its initial position.

The sweeper 38 comprises a bar which is provided with rollers 99 adapted to engage the surface of the alley during its sweeping movement and has arms I00 which have a telescoping connection with sleeves I M the. telescoping movement being limited by a pin and slot connection I02. The sleeves IOI are secured to the ends of a shaft I03 on which is splined a clutch member I M. A companion clutch member I05 is secured to a bevel gear I06 which is mounted on the shaft I03 and is adapted to drive the sweeper dur-' ing its sweeping movement. An opposed companion clutch member III? is secured to a bevel gear I08 and is adapted to drive the sweeper during its retractive movement.

The bevel gear I06 is constantly driven by a bevel gear I09 which is secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft IIO, the latter having a bevel gear III secured to its upper end which is driven I by the bevel gear I9 secured to the shaft 18. The bevel ,gear I08 is constantly driven by a bevel gear H3 which is secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft III, the latter having a bevel gear II 5 secured to its upper end and driven by the bevel gear 'II secured to the shaft It.

For controlling the sweeper clutch member I06, a shaft I I I, driven by the shaft 85, has a bevel gear H8 secured thereto which drives a bevel gear II 9 secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft I20. A bevel gear I2I, secured to the lower end of shaft I20, drives a bevel gear I22, which is adapted to drive a cam shaft I23 thro gh the medium of a clutch I26. A cam I25 on the Y 'shaft I23 controls the movementof a shifting lever I 26, which shifts the clutch memberfIM in proper sequence to effect the successive movements of the sweeper 98.

The clutch I 23 is controlled by a lever I27 which is actuated by the energization of a sole noid I28 to move the clutch'into engagement. Upon engagement of the clutch, the shaft I23 rotates through one complete revolution, whereupon a pin I29 on the clutch engages an inclined cam surface I30 and disengages the clutch. During this rotation of the shaft I23, the sweeper clutch member I03 is shifted by the lever I26, actuated by the cam I25, first to move the sweeper over the table to remove therefrom all pins left standing and all dead wood, and then to return the sweeper to its position of repose, where it is held by the flat spring I3I, as shown in Fig. E At the completion of this operation, the lever I26 is actuated to shift'the clutch member I04 to neutral position.

As the sweeper 38 concludes its sweeping movement, an arm I32 secured to the shaft I03 engages and closes a switch I33, which closes a circuit through a solenoid I34. The solenoid I34,

thus energized, attracts its armature I35 which is secured to a yoke I36 controlling the positions of the clutch members 12 and 14. As the armature, I35 is moved toward the solenoid I34, therefore, the clutch member I2 is moved into oper- 5 ative engagement with its companion member to drive the shaft 68 in a direction to lower the table. During the downward movement of the table, an arm I31, carried thereby, opens the switch I33, deenergizing the solenoid I34. As the table aproaches its lowermost position, a cam I38 engages an arm I39 of the yoke I36, opening the clutch 12. At the same time 9. lug I40 closes a switch III, thus closing a circuit through a solenoid I42. This attracts the armature I43 which is carried by the yoke I36 and causes the yoke to shift clutch member I I into engagement,

thereby rotating the shafts 68 in a direction to raise the table to its initial position. During the upward movement of the table, 9. lug I46 opens the switch I II and, as the table reaches its initial position, a finger I45 engages a cam surface I46 on the yoke arm I39 to release the clutch member II, stopping the movement of the table. The table is counterweighted so that it will remain in its initial position until the solenoid I36 is again energized.

Referring now to Figs. XXII, XXIII and XXIV,

' it will be noted that each pin spot is formed with an outer metallic sleeve I67 and an inner core 30 I48 insulated therefrom. The pin 39 has a metallic base M9 which connects the sleeve I to the core I38, if the pin is properly spotted. 'lhis closes a circuit from the service wires I50 and I5I through wires I52 and I53 to an electric lamp I55 on the panel I55, each lamp I54 being located in a position corresponding to the respec tive pin. Thus, by glancing at the panel, it may be positively'ascertained whether the pins are properly set. 40

Associated with each lamp I53; is a push button I56 corresponding to the particularsolenoid 63! which releases a pin for the spot corresponding to that push button. Whenever a button I56 is pushed, ,a circuit is closed from service wire 45 I 5t through wire I5I, button I56, wire I58 and solenoid 63 to the service wire I5I.' Thus it will be seen that any desired selection of individual pins may be spotted.

If a full set of pins is desired, the button I59 is 50 pushed and that closes a circuit through wire I63 and all of the wires I50 to energize all of the solenoids 63 simultaneously.

After the pins to be set have been released into the table 65, the sweeper and table actuating 55 button IBI is pushed. This first closes a circuit through wire I62 and solenoid I23 to startthe rotation of the shaft I23. This initiates a succession of operations, as above described, which includes the operation ofthe sweeper 90, the

closure of the switch I 33, which closes a circuit through wire I63 and solenoid I 55, and the closure of switch IIII, which closes a circuit through wire I66 and solenoid I32.

A switch IE6 is also located on the panel I55 and is adapted to close a circuit through wire I65 to the motor 25.

In order to insure the most satisfactory operation of the pin setter, it should be supplied with thirty pins, or nearly that number, so that-each 7o distributor tube 5? will contain at least one pin whenever a solenoid 63 is energizedto release a pin therefrom. At the beginning of each frame, the button I59 is pushed, causing a full set of pins to be delivered to the table 64, which is then automatically actuated to spot the pins, after the alleyhas been cleared from the previous frame. After the first ball is rolled, if some of the pins are left standing, this will be indicated by thelamps I54 which remain lightedin the panel I55. If there is also dead wood on the alley, the buttons beneaththe lighted lamps are pushed. This sweeps the alley clean and resets only such pins as were not knocked down by the first ball. If there is no dead wood, it is of course unnecessary to reset any pins until a new frame is set up.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that my automatic pin setter may be controlled from the front end of the alley by electrical means to perform all of the essential operations which are usually performed by alley toys. AlthoughI have shown and described its specific construction in detail, it 'will be apparent that the same may be modified to a considerable extent without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a bowling alley having a pit at the rear end thereof, of a crowned member spaced above the bottom of the pit with. its edges spaced from the sides of the pit a distance greater than the largest diameter of the pins but less than the diameter of the balls, whereby the balls are separated from the pins in the pit, means for returning the balls to the front of the alley, and means for elevating the pins and distributing them in'position for resetting.

2. The combination with a bowling alley having a pit at the rear end thereof, of a crowned member spaced above the bottom of the pit with its edges spaced from the sides of the pit a distance greater than the largest diameter of the pins but less than the diameter of the balls, whereby the ,balls are separated from the pins in the pit, a

return ball raceway, a continuously operating endless ball elevator, means for delivering the balls from the pit to said elevator, means fo'rdelivering the balls from the elevator to said raceway, and means for elevating the pins and distributing them for resetting.

3. The combination with a bowling alley having a pit at the rear end thereof, of a crowned member spaced above the bottom of the pit with its edges spaced from the sides of the pit a distance greater than the largest diameter of the pins but less thant he diameter of the balls, whereby the balls are separated from. the pins in the pit, means for returning the balls to the front of the alley, pin distributing and setting mechanism, and means including a continuously operating pin conveyor and elevator to transfer the pins from the pit to'the pin distributing mechanism.

4. In a pin setting apparatus for bowling alleys, a pin setting table, means for supporting pins in said table in proper relative position for setting, a set 01' distributor tubes above the table, means for delivering pins butt'iirst to said tubes, means for delivering any predetermined selection of pins from the respective distributor tubes to the table, and means for setting the pins which are thus delivered to the table.

5. In a pin setting apparatus for bowling alleys, 5

a pin setting table, a set of distributor tubes-above said table, each adapted to hold a plurality of pins, a set of index tubes movable successively over the upper ends of said distributor tubes, meansfor delivering pins tosaid index tubes, and a trip for each distributor tube operable, only when the tube is not full, to deliver a pin thereto from the next index tube containing one.

6. The combination with a bowling alley having a pit, of a pin setting table, a set of distributor tubes above the table, a setof index-tubes movable successively over the upper ends of the distributor tubes, means for delivering pins to said index tubes and thence to the distributor tubes, and means for returning to the pit any pin which may be contained in an index tube after the distributor tubes are full.

'7. In a pin setting apparatus for bowling alleys, a hopper, means for delivering pins butt first one by one to said-hopper, a set of index tubes movable successively beneath the hopper, means for retaining each pin temporarily in the hopper, means to release the pin from said retaining means and deliver it to the next index tube, a set of distributor tubes beneath the path of the index tubes, each adapted to hold a plurality of pins, and means, operable only when a distributor tube is not full, to deliver a pin thereto from the next index tube containing one.

8. In a pin setting apparatus for bowling alleys, a hopper, means to deliver pins to said hopper, a set of index tubes movable continuously beneath said hopper, means to retain each pin temporarily in said hopper, means carried by said index tubes to release said pin retaining means, a set of distributor tubes adapted to hold a plurality of pins, and means to deliver a pin from the first of said index tubes containing one to the first of said distributor tubes which is not full.

9. The combination withabowling alley hav- 4 ing a pit, of a pin setting table'including oppositely disposed leaves, means for delivering pins to said table in vertical position, said means including a set of distributor tubes above the table adapted to hold a plurality of pins, 8. set of index tubes movable continuously over said distributor tubes, means to deliver pins from said index tubes to said distributor tubes, and means for returning to the pit any pin which may be contained in an index tube after the distributor tubes are full. 5

10. In a pin setting apparatus, for bowling alleys, a pin-setting table, a set of distributor tubes above the table, means to deliver pins to said tubes, and means to deliver any predetermined selection 01 pins from said tubes to said table.

ALBERT R. BEN'IZ. 

